Advanced Television

Articles

Murdoch stake in Rotana

Rotana Media, the broadcast and music group owned by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, is selling a $70 million stake to News Corp. Rotana said that News Corp had agreed to buy a 9.09 per cent stake with an option to take this up to 18.18 per cent. The deal creates a cross shareholding […]

February 24, 2010

Kabel Deutschland confirms IPO plans

Kabel Deutschland, Germany’s biggest cable network provider, has confirmed plans to float its shares. The company didn’t provide details on the stake it intends to float, on the size of the initial public offering nor on a time frame for the listing. According to reports, Kabel Deutschland has decided to proceed with an initial public […]

February 24, 2010

TiVo complains to FCC over SDV use

TiVo is appealing to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) over concerns that the use of Switched Digital Video (SDV) technology by cable providers will destroy its business. While traditional cable infrastructure delivers all available channels at once to STBs, SDV will deliver only the channels currently being accessed. The benefits of SDV are obvious; savings […]

February 24, 2010

Broadband tax 'regressive' say MPs

A government proposal to charge people with fixed phone lines 50p (E0.57) per month to help fund ultra-fast broadband has been condemned as “unfair” by MPs. The cross-party Business Innovation and Skills Committee said most of those who would pay the tax would not benefit from the faster broadband service. The focus should be on […]

February 24, 2010

Vivendi says it owns 80% of Canal Plus

Vivendi has declared it now owns 80 per cent of Canal Plus France, after acquiring a 5.1 per cent stake in the television channel for E384.2 million from French broadcaster M6-Metropole Television. Vivendi confirmed it plans to buy out minority shareholders in Canal Plus France and that an expert evaluation is being carried out to […]

February 24, 2010

Sony 3D TVs and IPTV service to hit Oz in July

Sony said the company's line-up of 3D TVs would arrive in Australia in July. The company has one model planned, the LX900, which has 3D fully integrated, and two other models, the HX800 and 900, which can display 3D with an optional accessory. “This year represents the sunrise of 3D technology in Australia,” claimed Barbour. […]

February 24, 2010

Canal Plus plans to launch 3D channel in 2010

French pay TV operator Canal Plus plans to launch a 3D channel by the end of the year. Canal Plus’s deputy general director for technology, Joseph Guegan, told “Ecran Total” magazine that the company expects to resolve the remaining technical problems during the first half of the year and intends to launch a dedicated 3D […]

February 24, 2010

NDS aids launch of South African pay-TV platform

On Digital Media has selected NDS as technology provider and prime integrator to support the launch of its direct-to-home DTH platform in South Africa. The new service, TopTV, will go live in Q2 2010. On Digital Media will secure their MPEG4 DVB-S2-based service using NDS' VideoGuard conditional access technology. To enable the platform and provide […]

February 23, 2010

S&T brings interactive content to Freeview HD

Strategy & Technology (S&T), a specialist in MHEG middleware and interactive playout systems, has announced that its RedKey 2 MHEG engine is powering the text and interactive services in the new Humax Freeview HD set-top box. The Humax HD-FOX T2 is the first DVB-T2 capable Freeview HD receiver to go on sale in the UK. […]

February 23, 2010

UPC consolidates DTH activities and transponders

UPC Broadband will consolidate its European DTH business in order to drive efficiencies and opportunities to expand the business and services provided to customers. As a result it has centralised its activities in a new company, UPC DTH S.a.r.l. based in Luxembourg. This consolidation coincides with a recent agreement for a long term satellite position […]

February 23, 2010